NYC's Mexican students struggle to stay in schoolEducators in New York City have noticed the children of Mexican immigrants drop out at a much higher rate than their peers. About 41% of Mexicans ages 16 to 19 in the city are dropouts, more than twice the rate of any other immigrant group and more than four times the city average. "We don't have enough academic role models," said Angelo Cabrera, who runs a Bronx-based tutoring nonprofit. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)
(11/25)

Should private donations fund a public school?Private donations to public schools and the resulting inequities has become a heated topic in California, as this editorial notes. Many of the donations in question are from wealthy parents in well-off neighborhoods giving to their local school. The Los Angeles Times editorial board argues in favor of more equitable distribution of private funding for public education, while acknowledging the difficulties in judging its fairness. Los Angeles Times
(11/27)

Harvard Education Leadership Doctorate (Ed.L.D.)
This tuition-free, practice-based program combines education, public policy, and business with executive coaching and a paid residency at a partner organization. Apply now to be part of the next cohort to lead system-level change in preK-12 education.

School Leadership

Teach for America establishes roots in New OrleansFormer Teach for America personnel hold many important education positions in New Orleans, this article details. They hold not only positions in teaching, but also in administration and policy-making. Most TFA alumni do not have formal education training, and some in Louisiana question whether schools rely too heavily on the organization. The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)
(11/27)

Education system in Finland shows where America lagsFinland mixes student-teacher collaboration and rigorous evaluation for an education system regarded as a global model, and the U.S. can learn from it, according to this article. Finnish students consistently score high on international exams, with a small achievement gap, despite spending less money per student. The U.S. also could learn from Finland's teacher recruitment and retention policies, the article notes. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
(11/26)

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ASCD News

Ask Dr. Judy webinar: Long-term memory strategiesJoin educator and neurologist Judy Willis on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 3 p.m. EST for a free webinar that will cover how to help students remember what you teach this year. In this upcoming episode, Willis will connect the latest memory research with classroom strategies that promote accurate, retrievable long-term memory. Sign up now and catch up on previous installments of the "Ask Dr. Judy" series in the ASCD webinar archive.

A preschool education beyond sequins and stickersArt teacher and curriculum coordinator Erin Young entered the teaching profession knowing she was destined to teach high-school students. Yet, she's spent the past four years teaching preschool, finding that preschool students are the perfect candidates for higher learning and fulfilling her interest in teaching advanced concepts. Learn more about what Young and her students are working on in their classroom in a recent New Voices article of ASCD Express. Read on. Access the entire ASCD Express issue on how preschool helps kids grow.